Buttered Cauliflower + Golden Rice
2022 Meal No. 7: Buttered Cauliflower + Golden Rice
Jordan + I had Indian food together maybe a year and a half ago (very late to that party), and that was totally a dinner lead by sister-in-law and her family. We popped down to their place in OR, and they took control of the takeout order. They had their go to Indian takeout spot, we had no clue what to order so we had them take the lead, and we just kind of went with it. Truth be told I’d only been out for Indian once prior, and that was abroad + just wanting to hang with some new friends. I remember sort of fumbling through the menu and following everyone else’s lead. This Indian dinner with family was kind of the same, so we happily had them lead the charge when it came to ordering, just kind of went along for the ride, and we’ve been hooked ever since. One of my favorites things we had that night, and the thing I’m pretty much always adding to our Indian takeout orders, was butter chicken. I just love it. That creamy sauce that soaks into the chicken and gets mopped up with naan + rice - it is just a new favorite. A classic dish that’s my Indian food obsession.
So in the spirit of “do it at home but make it vegetarian” comes Buttered Cauliflower + Golden Rice. So flavorful + so many spices in all elements of this meal. It’s exciting, flavorful, so different than the other meals we cook at home, and a fun meal to eat. The cauliflower soaks up all the flavor in the butter sauce (a sans butter + sans heavy cream butter sauce), which is creamy + full of Indian spices. The golden rice is just next level tasty. A rice that compliments the whole meal. It’s creamy + savory - cooked with coconut milk + greens + tumeric. Two perfectly paired dishes for a really nice Indian meal at home.
Magic sauce
Until making this recipe, what exactly was in a traditional butter sauce was a mystery to me. Mystery solved - it’s a blend of tomato paste and cream. So simple, and this recipe plays into the simplicity of the dish but changes it up. Tomato paste + coconut milk + spices. That’s it. It all simmers together, gets thick + deep red in color, and just coats the cauliflower pieces.
Necessary - warm pieces of naan to dunk into the sauce. It’s a no drop can go to waste kind of sauce.
Golden rice
Jordan is our resident rice maker. He has many kitchen skills, and perfectly preparing any variety of rice is one of them. So naturally we got our resident pro involved to crank this one out. This rice is something special, and that’s coming from a girl who’s usually anti-rice. This stuff is velvety, creamy, savory, and just all things good. It’s also loaded with good greens + herbs, adding some freshness + extra veggies to the dish. I’m always a fan of some hidden veggies, and the kale that cooks into this rice just gets tender + melts into the rice.
The magic of the rice is adding the tumeric - instantly turning the rice a perfectly golden hue. Golden grains of rice mixed with bright green bits of kale as the base for a deep red cauliflower dish - it’s quite pretty.
Coconut milk is the common thread in the butter cauliflower + rice. It makes both the sauce and the rice creamy + velvety, and even with a creamy component, it all feels light + fresh. Exactly what I want for a vegetarian meal. For the rice specifically - the texture from adding the coconut milk + broth is heaven, and that’s why this meal is such a banger. It’s moist + just the slightest bit soupy, but still has the perfect consistency for mopping up the extra butter sauce.
The real fun treat - crispy chickpeas
Crispy chickpeas are another one of the best discoveries in the last year, and we love them on pretty much anything. I mean - who knew chickpeas roasted in the oven with some EVOO make for the most delicious crispy snack. Good luck not eating a few straight off the pan. These chickpeas are seasoned with salt + pepper (so simple) and some garlic + shallots. All browned to crispy perfection, and the perfect garnish to these cauliflower + rice bowls.
I feel like sometimes the hardest part about meal planning is finding components that go really nicely together. Especially when it involves meals that you want to feel a little more special than the average healthy at-home meal, and I wanted this to feel special. Our first attempt at making some of our favorite Indian food at home - it was a fun occasion. This cauliflower + rice pairing is a slam dunk. It’s officially in the can’t stop - won’t stop category when it comes to making and eating it.
A meal that’s a perfect example of trying to replicate your favorite takeout meals at-home, and finding recipes so good and so fun to make together that they become a staple. That was the real magic of this meal - it was so fun and so special to make together. I handled the cauliflower, Jordan handled the rice, and we did it all side by side. Just so much fun and a true highlight of the week.
For the cauliflower
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
Salt + pepper
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced
EVOO
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp garam masala
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp tumeric
pinch of cayenne
1 can of tomato paste
1 can of coconut milk
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, minced
For the rice
4 tbsp butter
1 1/2 c. white rice
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp red pepper
1 can of coconut milk
2 c. chicken broth
3 heaping cups shredded kale
Salt + pepper
EVOO
1 can of chickpeas
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 425. Toss the cauliflower florets in the bowl with 2 tbsp EVOO and a pinch of salt + pepper. Spread on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, and then under the broiler for 5-10 minutes. The cauliflower should be just crispy on the edges.
To prepare the butter sauce, place a pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp EVOO + the minced garlic. When the garlic gets fragrant, add the other spices + the ginger. Mix until a paste like substance forms. Add in the tomato paste, stir to combine with the spices. Add in the coconut milk, stirring to combine until the sauce is smooth. The sauce will start to thicken up,. Add the roasted cauliflower to the sauce, toss to coat, and cover the pan. Turn the heat to low.
For the rice, melt the butter, turmeric, and crushed red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the rice and toss to coat. Stir in the broth, the coconut milk, and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Add the greens on top of the rice, just letting it sit on top of the rice. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to low. Cook the rice on low for ten minutes + then turn off the heat. Let the rice sit, covered, for another 10 minutes.
While the rice cooks, roast the chickpeas. Turn the heat to 425. Mix the chickpeas, shallots, garlic, and a tablespoon or two of EVOO. Toss with a pinch of salt + pepper. Lay on a foil lined baking sheet, and bake for about 20 minutes (until they’re crispy + deep golden brown in color).
To plate up the meal, dish the rice + cauliflower side by side onto a plate. Top the rice with a sprinkle of the chickpeas, and the cauliflower with a pinch of cilantro. Serve a piece of warm naan, and you’re set for a perfect, cozy at-home meal.
